Part 25 (1/2)
Jack told him.
”Lucky for us, then, that you did not go down,” was the answer. ”And now set to work and get the s.h.i.+p in order. You must understand that you are a prize to the 'Black Hawk,' belonging to a company of gentlemen adventurers. There's no use grumbling: it's the fortune of war. And now bear a hand and get your s.h.i.+p to rights as fast as you can. We will help you, and carry you safely into port, though not the port maybe you were bound for.”
Jack's heart sank within him when he heard this. Resistance would be utterly useless. Even had the Frenchmen remained faithful, the pirates, for such he had little doubt they were, numbered ten to one of his own diminished crew. At first he and his young officers felt disposed to refuse to work, but Burridge, an experienced old seaman, strongly advised them to obey.
”There's no use whatsomever, sir, to quarrel with these sort of gentry,”
he observed. ”They would as likely as not make a man walk the plank if they're angry with him, and if we don't try to please them they will probably send every one of us to be food for the sharks before another day pa.s.ses over our heads.”
Jack saw the wisdom of this advice, so, putting the best face on the matter he could, he ordered his own people to commence the work he had been about to carry out when the pirate appeared. The Frenchmen were quickly made to change their tone, and the pirates, observing that they did not work with as good a will as the English, kept p.r.i.c.king them on, every now and then, with the points of their swords, amusing themselves greatly at the sight of the grimaces which were made in consequence of this treatment.
Poor Jack! this was the greatest trial he had ever gone through in his life. After having fully expected to enter Port Royal in triumph with a fine prize, thus to have it s.n.a.t.c.hed from him by a band of rascally pirates! Still he did the best to keep up his spirits, hoping that some opportunity might occur to enable him ere long to make his escape.
”It cannot be helped,” observed Burridge, ”and 'what cannot be cured, must be endured,' as my old woman used to say when she allowed the porridge to burn on the fire. It's a long lane too, you know, sir, which has no turning, and though maybe these gentry will make us do a few things we shall not like, still, as long as they don't cut our throats, we will manage some day or other to get clear of them.”
The pirates, to do them justice, were not idle themselves. A considerable number more now came on board to help get the s.h.i.+p into order, as it was very evident to them that she was a valuable prize. As soon as sail could be made on the s.h.i.+p, Jack and his officers were ordered to keep to their cabins, as he supposed, to prevent them ascertaining the direction which the s.h.i.+p was steering. This, so far, proved satisfactory, as it proved that the pirates had no immediate intention of taking their lives. Three days thus pa.s.sed away, when from the perfectly smooth way in which the vessel glided on, Deane suspected that they were entering some harbour. The mids.h.i.+pmen were of the same opinion, and Hawke volunteered to try to reach the deck, to ascertain where they had got to. On going out, however, he found a sentry at the door, who ordered him back, telling him, that without the captain's leave they would not be allowed to leave their cabin. In a short time longer, the sound of the anchor let go, and the perfect stillness of the s.h.i.+p, convinced Jack that he was right in his conjectures. Soon after this a person they had not before seen came to the cabin.
”Now, friends,” he said, ”if you are wise men, you will enter with us and cut the service to which you have belonged. We don't serve either king or queen, and have only ourselves to obey, while instead of handing over the profits of our labours to others we keep them for ourselves.
We have a jovial life of it. No lack of adventure and excitement, and as much gold and silver as we can pick up, though, to be sure, we now and then have a little fighting for it, but that only adds to its value.
What say you, lads? Will you join us?”
”Thank you for your polite offer,” answered Deane, ”but we are well content with the service in which we're engaged, and have no fancy for changing it. We, too, have plenty of fighting, and can generally sc.r.a.pe up as much gold as we want.”
”Enough is as good as a feast,” observed Burridge; ”and I'll tell you what, sir, with due respect to you, we would rather serve Queen Anne than King Mobb Sogg, or any other king in or out of Christendom; and though you gentlemen buccaneers are very fine fellows, we have no fancy just at present of becoming one of your number.”
”It would have been better for you if you had made up your minds to follow my advice,” answered the pirate officer; ”I should have been able to set you at liberty at once and let you wander all over our island.
As it is, you must be content to remain shut up on board, or maybe on sh.o.r.e, where we have a sort of prison which is sometimes useful.”
Jack and his companions were in no way ill-treated, except in being confined to the cabin, while an abundance of provisions were brought to them. From the noises they heard they judged that the cargo of the vessel was being taken out of her, and they hoped when that was done that some change or other might take place in their condition. They had no fancy to remain prisoners for ever, and they determined that if not released by their captors, they would endeavour if possible to escape by themselves. Burridge had been allowed to join them in the cabin. He told them he was afraid that the rest of the crew had joined the pirates, as they had all left the vessel shouting and singing, and apparently in very good-humour. He alone had refused to do so, in spite of the threats of punishment which the pirates uttered.
”I have sworn to fight for our country and for our new queen, and I intend to do so as long as there is life in me,” he observed.
In those days the bands of buccaneers which had made themselves a terror to the Spaniards had been dispersed. At the peace of Ryswick, finding that their occupation was gone, and that they would not long receive the support of the English government, many of them accepted offers of land in the plantations and became settlers. Those who were unwilling to lead a quiet life turned regular pirates, mostly hoisting black flags, with some hideous device, such as skulls and crossbones, and attacked all nations indiscriminately. Deane fully believed that he had fallen into the hands of characters of this sort, though he was surprised that they had hitherto treated him and his companions with so much leniency.
At length an officer visited them. He was a fierce-looking fellow, with his broad-brimmed hat and leather c.o.c.ked on one side. A huge belt was slung across his shoulders, in which two or three brace of pistols were stuck. A hanger was by his side, with a silk coat covered with gold lace, while his face was adorned with a large moustache and a long black beard.
”Well, my hearties,” he exclaimed as he entered, ”I hope you like being shut up here like dogs in a kennel! It's a strange fancy if you do; to my mind, it would be better to have your freedom and enjoy yourselves on sh.o.r.e. What would you say, now, if I was to offer it you?”
”We should be obliged to you, master,” answered Jack; ”for we should like to stretch our legs on sh.o.r.e amazingly.”
”Ah, that's sensible!” answered the visitor; ”but you must agree to my terms if you do.”
”That may alter the case,” said Jack. ”Let us hear your terms though, and we may judge whether we can accept them.”
”Ah, they're easy enough!” said their visitor. ”All you have to do, is to swear to be faithful to our fraternity, and if you're ordered to draw your sword and fight on our side, you will do it, even though our enemies should be your former friends.”
”This is only mockery!” exclaimed Jack. ”If you tell us to draw our swords against our countrymen, we tell you at once, we would die rather than do so!”
”Then you must remain prisoners, and be treated as such,” answered their visitor. ”However, as this craft will prove a fine cruiser, we are going to fit her out for sea, and if you don't choose to go in her, you will have to come on sh.o.r.e.”
The pirate continued talking much in this way for some time, but without producing any effect upon his hearers. At last he got angry, and, slamming the door after him, went on deck. He soon returned, however, with a dozen men, whom he ordered to take charge of the four prisoners and to convey them on sh.o.r.e. They were accordingly marched up on deck, where for the first time Jack was enabled to examine the place into which the s.h.i.+p had been carried. It was a large lagoon, the entrance from the sea being so narrow that he could with difficulty make it out.